Fish trap



March 28, 1933. E. s. YANGA FISH TRAP File'd Sept. 6, 1932 s'sheet-s sheet' 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY lg g afawa .BY W

E. S. YANGA March 28, 1933.

INVENTOR ATTORN EY Patented Mar.

UNITED s'rArEs PATENT orr cs mmmo BUBI YANGA, OI VALLADOLID, OOO'IDENTAL' HEGBOS, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS FISH Application fled September This invention relates to fish traps and has for the primary object, the provision of a device ofthe above stated character which may be caused to submerge or move to the bottom of a body of water for a predetermined length of time and after the expiration of such time to automatically ascend tothe surface of the water so that fish or other water animals caught by the trap while submerged may be removed and the device again adjusted and conditioned for another submergence and tra ping of fish and the like.

nother object of this invention is the provision of means whereby the trap may be manually caused to ascend to the surface of the water before the expiration oftime allotted for the device to ascend automatically and which means provides a signal at the surface of the water to indicate the approximate location of the trap while submergedu A further object of this invention is the provision of a fish trap of the above stated character which may be constructed in various sizes and of different material suitable for the purpose and which will be efiicient, durable and practical and inexpensive to manufacture and thereby permit sale thereof at a comparatively low cost.

With these and other objects in view this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully de scribed and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawings, in which I I Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrating a -fish trap constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view approximately on the line 22 of Figure 1.

' Figure 3 is a detail sectional viewtaken on'the line 33 of Figure 1'. 1

Figure 4 is a detail sectional View illustrating the manual control means for effecting the raising of the trap.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

1:, 1m. sum No. 031,911.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view partly in section illustrating the application of a crank handle to a drum for ralsing a weight or anchor=-after the ascent of the trap to the surface. of the water.

Fi re 8 is a side elevation partly in section illustrating the trap iniihe act of submerging. I K

Figure 9 is a similar view showing the trap submer ed and resting upon the bottom of a bodyot water.

Figure 10 is a similar view showing the trap after ascending and partially exposed 65 at the surface of thewater.

Figure 11 is a similar view showing the trap positioned at the surface of the water, ready to remove fish; and the like therefrom and also ready to have the weight or anchor elevated.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates'the body of the trap which may be constructed of any size and of any material suitable for the purpose and 76 includes a main chamber 2, certain walls of which are provided with perforations 3 al- I lowing water to circulate freely in and out. of the main chamber. The side and end walls of the main chamber are provided with entrances 4 over which are positioned ards 5 arran (1 upon the interior of the b0 y and adapte to permit entrance of fish and the like into the main body when submerged in water. Each guard 5 is of substantially conical shape having a restricted opening at its apex. he guard 5 is constructed from a series of closely arranged wires or rods arranged in conical formation and attached to the body 1 at one end while the opposite ends are pointed or she, ned for the purpose of penetrating or stickin a fish'when endeavoring to escape from t e main compartment. A cage 6 of foraminous material is mounted on the top of the body 1 and has communication with the interior of the main compartment by a assage 7 also equipped with a guard 8 simi ar in construction to the guards 5 so that fish caught within the main I compartment may pass into the cage and the 100 latter being provided with trap doors 9 so that the fish within the cage may be conveniently removed. Fish food or any other suitable bait 10 is placed within the main compartment and rests upon the bottom wall thereof for the purpose of attracting fish into the main compartment.

A combined air and water chamber 11 is formed in the body 1 below the main compartment and' is provided with perforated partitions 12 for the purpose of reinforcing the device. An L-shaped pipe 13 has one end fitting within an opening formed in the walls of the chamber 11 while its opposite end terminates a slight distance above the bottom wall of the chamber 11 for the purpose of admitting a predetermined amount of water within the chamber 11 as soon as the body is placed within a body of water. Foraminous material 14 is placed over the intake end of the pipe 13 to prevent the entrance of foreign matter into the chamber 11. An air pipe 15 communicates with the chamber 11 and extends through the top wall of the body 1 and is provided with a suitable regulating cap 16 designed to permit air pressure to be introduced into the chamber 11 and confined therein.

The upper portion of the body 1 is constructed to form a buoyancy compartment 17 having a vent means 18 and an air supply pipe 19 equipped with a cap or closure 20 similar to the cap 16, whereby air pressure may be introduced into the chamber 17 when desired. The vent means 18 bein provided for the purpose of allowing the air pressure to escape when desired and also any water which may seep into the chamber 17.

Illuminating electric lamps 21 are arranged within the main compartment 2 and the cage 6 and are electrically connected to a battery or other electrical source 22 located within a chamber 23 of the body 1, the chamber 23 being'provided with a trap door 24 so that the battery may be conveniently placed in or removed from the chamber when necessary.

A weight chamber 25 is formed in the bottom of the body 1 to receive a weight or anchor 26 to which a cable 27 is connected and passes upwardly through the body and over a series of pulleys 28 and is wound on a rotatably mounted drum 29 located on the top of the body 1. The shaft of the drum is provided with a crank arm 30 to which may be attached a crank handle 31 for the purpose of winding the cable 27 onto the drum after being paid therefrom. The crank handle 31 is removed from the arm 30 While the trap is submerged in the water.

A cylinder 32 is located adjacent the drum and extends at right angles thereto and has located therein a piston 33 provided with a piston stem 34 extending outwardly of the cylinder and provided with a rightangular extension 35 adapted to be positioned to engage the crank arm 30 for the purpose of preventing the drum 29 from rotating and unwinding the cable therefrom by the infiuence of the weight 26. To retain the piston 33 at one end of the cylinder 32 and against sliding movement influenced by the crank arm 30 of the drum, salt or other solvent material 36 is placed in the cylinder by way of a removable cap 37. The cylinder 32 is also provided with a vent opening 38 controlled by a threaded plug 39 which may be adjusted for the purpose of admitting water into the cylinder when the device is submerged.

The cap 37 is of the flange type and threaded to the cylinder and has wound thereon a cable 40. The cable provides a pair of runs which are adapted to extend to the surface of the water when the device is submerged and be attached to a float 4:2 acting as a signal to indicate the approximate iccation of the trap when submerged, as shown in Figure 9.

in operation after the trap has been properly baited. to be placed in the water along with the float 42, air is released from the chamber 17 and as the body enters the water, a certain amount of water enters the chamber 11 due to the pipe 13. The weight 26 occupying a position in the weight chamber 25 overcomes the buoyancy of the chambers 11 and 17 and causes the body to submerge and rest upon the bottom of the water as shown in Figure 9. In this position fish and the like may enter the main compartment and passinto the cage. Prior to placing the trap or body in the water the plug 39 is adjusted to admit water into the cylinder 32 when the trap is submerged, causing the salt or like material within a predetermined time to dissolve. freeing the piston 33. The salt becoming liquefied will be forced from the cylinder in a suiiicient amount to permit the piston to shift its position and the stem thereof to move out of frictional contact with the crank arm 30, freeing the weight from the body 1 and due to the buoyancy derived from the chambers 11 and 17 the body ascends to the surface of the water, as shown in Figure 10. It is to be understood that the dissolved salt escapes from the cylinder the same way the water enters said cylinder. When in this position an additional amount of air may be forced into the chamber 17, providing greater buoyancy to the body and causing the latter to assume a position as shown in Figure 11. Whilein the latter named position fish may be conveniently removed from the cage through the trap doors 9. The crank handle 31 is then applied tothe crank arm 30 and the drum 29 rotated to raise the weight 26 and move the same into the compartment or weight chamber 25. After the fish have been removed and the trap again baited and adjusted the air pressure in the chamber 17 is Eli means reduced and the weight again causes the trap trap to ascend prior to the dissolving of the salt or like material by the seepage of water through the control vent 39 the cap 37 may be rotated by manually manipulating the runs of the cztble 40 so as to allow the material to become quickly dissolved, whence the device will automatically ascend to the surface of the water as soon as the piston shifts its position to tree the crenkerni 30 of the drum '29. While 1 have shown end described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood thet minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of perts may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, es cieimed.

prevent the return of fish from the cege to the more compartment, and meens to cense sin c oi the body end the automatic ascent thereof to thesuriece of the Writer the expiration oi period of time. ii fish trap comprising a body boring as compartment provided with ent e fish to enter 'seid compartment Whiie said body is subme god in Water, means ent the escape or iish from seid com i ncnt by way of s-eid entrances, seid dy having sir end chambers, means r admitting air pressure to chambers he escepe of soic pressure when desired, s admitting at predetermined amount to one oi said chambers, n Weight or oly connected to the body and. when in. dent therewith odepted to cause the of the body in body of Wt'ctildi", end s for releasing the "weight from contact the body to permit the latter to escend to one surface of the Water,

A. fish trap comprising n body having s main compartment provided with entrances eimit fish to enter said compartment While said body is submerged in Water, means to the escape iish from said comps 'tmcnt by way ofsaid entrances, ssid body herring eir endwster chambers, means for admitting air pressure to the chambers and the escape of said pressure when desired. for admitting at predetermined canonnt of ater to one of said chambers, a weight movabiy connected to the body and when in engagement therewith adopted to cause the sinking of the body in a body of water, and means for automatically, after the expiration of a. period of time, freeing the weight from contact with the body and permit the ascent of the body to the surface of the Water.

4. A fish trap comprising a body having a rnain compartment provided with entrances to permit fish to enter said compartment While said body is submer ed in water, means to prevent the esca e of sh from said compertinent by Way 0 said entrances, said body having sir end water chambers, means for admitting sir pressure to the chambers and the escape of said pressure when desired, means for admitting a predetermined amount of water to one of seid chambers, e weight moyebly connected to the body end when in en. egement therewith edepted to cause the sin ting of the body in e body oi Water, a cebie connected to the weight, n drum carried by the body end having the cable wound thereon to nicintein the Weight in en agement with the bed tor causing the body to submerge in teeter, and means for boiding the drum against operation during the submerging of the body end for e, predetermined iength of time end adopted miter the expiretion or" such time to tree the drum end allow the Weight scperetc from the body end the ietter to ascend to the surface of the weter, 5., A tr comprising e body having rosin compartment provided with entrances to permit fish to enter seid compartment While said body is submerged ir ater, means to prevent the escape of fish om seid comwetter, e fittih connected to the weight, n

drum carried by the body end having the cebie W0 thereon to maintain the-weight in engeg .nent with the body for causing; the body to snbrnergein Water, a cyiinder located cdjecent the drum, 2, piston in said cylinder, e stem on the piston and engaging the drum to hold the ietter eqeinst operation by the influence oi the Weight, soivent material in the cyiinder to hold the piston uggeinstmoyc merit, and means tor regulating the entrance oi. to the cylinder to dissolve the sol.- vent and the drum and Weight from the body for showing the letter to ascend to the surface of the meter.

6. A fish trep comprising e body having e. main compartment provided With entrances to permit fish to enter said compartment While said body is snbmer ed in water, means to prevent the escape of sh from said compertinent by way of said entrances, said bodyedniitting e predetermined time 4- meagre having air and water chambers, means for admitting air pressure to the chambers and the escape of said pressure when'desired, means for admitting a predetermined amount 5 of water to one of said chambers, a weight movably connected to the body and when in engagement therewith adapted to cause the sinking of the body in a body of Water, a cable connected to the Weight, a drum car- 1 'ried by the body and having the cable Wound thereon to maintain the weight in engagement with the body for causing the body to submerge in water, a cylinder located adjacent the drum, 8. piston in saici cylinder, a 1 stem on the piston and engeging the drum to hold the latter against operation by the influence of the weight, solvent material in the cylinder to hold the piston against movement, means for regulating the entrance of 2% water to the cylinder to dissolve the solvent and free the 651mm. and Weight from the body for aliowing the ietter to ascend to the surface of the and manually controlled means extending to the surface of the Water during the snbznerging of the body to permit opening of the cvlinier end the destruction of the solvent by the Water.

7. A fish ti comprising a, bociy having a. main comps -rent provfiecl with entrances to permit fish to enter compartment whiie seicl bocly submerged in water, means to prevent the of iish from com-- pertinent by W y seiri entrances, said hoy saving sir er I water chambers,

es admitting air pressure to the c FEEDEFS the escape or? id. PET n desired; means for cleterniined amount of oo chembei's, Weight niovably conn ct e the hccly when in. engegeinent t h edapte te cause the sinking o: t (5 n a body wate cehie connected e Weight, 3; be. riec'i by the bcciy enei her ing the on thereon to. the ment with "the beciy for censin submerge in water, a: cyiinc es cent the serum, e mist-on in said c stern on the piston enge hold the icees 5e nnence oi: the e I. F cyhnoeir ment n1 to irce drum to e-scenci face of w er, m' nneliy controllieci extending; to. es of the i the suhmesging; of the body peemit opening of the cylinder anti t estrnction of 6% the solvent by the water ifi'c t cennected to the iast-nsmeri v in testimony whereo-E Z affix l fiiifi'fii ELETLJ'TEEEU SUSK 1 

